Local Social Services records won't be released in child death

Friday

Jul 19, 2013 at 12:01 AMJul 19, 2013 at 6:35 PM

Natalie Allison Janicello / Times-News

The Alamance County Department of Social Services will not release information on actions taken or services rendered by the agency involving Antonio and Heather Gwynn and their deceased 17-month-old, Toni Maurie Gwyn.

Antonio and Heather Gwynn, both 22, previously lived in Alamance County and were arrested in Caswell County on Tuesday in connection with the death of their toddler on July 11.

Antonio Gwynn was charged with second-degree murder and felony child abuse and is being held in the Rockingham County jail under a $3 million bond. Heather Gwynn is being held under a $1 million bond on charges of felony child abuse.

In some previous cases involving a child fatality, Alamance County DSS has released information to the news media on services rendered by the agency if it received reports that the child may have needed protection.

The district attorney in Rockingham County, where the child died, asked Alamance County Social Services not to release any information on the Gwynns

DSS Director Susan Osborne said the agency is trained to defer to the instruction of the district attorney involved in the case. Alamance County District Attorney Pat Nadolski isn’t presiding over Gwynn’s first-degree murder case, as the trial is occurring in Rockingham County.

In a letter to Alamance County DSS Attorney Jamie Hamlett, Rockingham County District Attorney Philip Berger Jr. wrote that disclosure of the information on the department’s involvement with the family isn’t required under the state statute and would likely jeopardize the state’s ability to prosecute Gwynn and his right to a fair trial.

According to North Carolina General Statute 7B-2902, a government agency “shall disclose to the public, upon request, the findings and information related to a child fatality” if a person has been criminally charged with causing the fatality. Upon consulting with the district attorney in the county where the defendants were charged, an agency is required to provide the requested findings and information unless it believes doing so will cause harm to other minors in the household, jeopardize the state’s ability to prosecute or the defendant’s right to a fair trial, undermine an ongoing or future criminal investigation or is not authorized by federal law.

Eden police said Rockingham County DSS was contacted to assist with the couple’s other two children, a 4-month-old and a 4-year-old.

Antonio and Heather Gwynn were arrested Tuesday after hiding for several days in a family member’s vacant trailer on Stoney Creek School Road in Caswell County.

According to Eden police, at 2:18 p.m. on July 11, officers, rescue squad personnel and EMS responded to 503 Prospect St. in Eden in reference to a 1-year-old not breathing.

Emergency responders performed CPR on the Gwynns’ daughter and transported her to Morehead Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Police initiated an investigation into the child’s death and “conducted detailed interviews with the parents concerning the circumstances around the death of their daughter,” according to a statement. Detectives also asked the parents to conduct a reenactment of the events leading up to the child’s death.

In Alamance County, Antonio and Heather Gwynn have lived at 1328 Beaumont Court in Burlington, 1402 E. Harden Street in Graham, as well as other locations in Mebane, Snow Camp and Reidsville.

The couple appeared in Rockingham County District Court on Wednesday, and their next court date is set for Aug. 6.